Rotorua self drive day trip - Advice please!

[SLOWCLAP]

Hi fellow cruisers :)

 

We are cruising on HAL Oosterdam to NZ in just under 2 weeks! Looking for some advice to plan our day in Tauranga...

 

I have already rented a car and a Hobbiton tour at 10.30am. We will then make our way to Rotorua. The ship leaves Tauranga at 6pm so just trying to figure out just how much we can fit in...

 

Looking at a "Super Pass" which includes admission to the gondola, Te Puia and the Polynesian Spa. I know these attractions are close but will we have time to do them all and drive back to port on time? The gondola looks fun and we definitely want to see some geothermal activity.

 

Would love to see Hell's Gate but is this better than Te Puia? If anyone can help us plan our short time in Rotorua, it would be greatly appreciated!!

 

Thank you so much :D

[Aquarians]

Hi fellow cruisers :)

 

We are cruising on HAL Oosterdam to NZ in just under 2 weeks! Looking for some advice to plan our day in Tauranga...

 

I have already rented a car and a Hobbiton tour at 10.30am. We will then make our way to Rotorua. The ship leaves Tauranga at 6pm so just trying to figure out just how much we can fit in...

 

Looking at a "Super Pass" which includes admission to the gondola, Te Puia and the Polynesian Spa. I know these attractions are close but will we have time to do them all and drive back to port on time? The gondola looks fun and we definitely want to see some geothermal activity.

 

Would love to see Hell's Gate but is this better than Te Puia? If anyone can help us plan our short time in Rotorua, it would be greatly appreciated!!

 

Thank you so much :D

Kia ora i Rotorua,

From Matamata it is about an hours drive to Rotorua and from Rotorua back to the port is about another hours drive so you will need to factor this in to your plans. To do justice to all three you could be pushing it. Rotorua is in an extensive geo-thermal area so by just driving around town you will see evidence of it, eg. as you drive to Te Puia steam coming out of road drainage holes and from from the bubbling mud pools (both sides of the road) & if you come along Lake Road from Matamata you will pass a small hot lake in Kuirau Park with steam rising as well as from the mud pools etc. Bear in mind that in Rotorua you can experience aspects of Maori culture in a natural setting rather than in (say) a museum. As for which is better, all I can say is they both have good thermal activity to see & while Te Puia has the advantage of being the site of the Maori Carving Institute etc. Hells Gate has a spa on offer. Viewing http://www.tepuia.com & http://www.hellsgate.co.nz may help you decide.

Aquarians

[MargoK]

From experience I would give the Gondola a miss. When we did a private tour (DH was driver of a mini bus full of Americans Canadians and Aussies - boy it was fun) the queues of people from the cruise ships excursions were horrendous. Some of our group basically queued, went up and queued to come back down - 1 hr!!!

 

Hell's Gate is worthwhile as it is not on the cruise excursions so is not 'full' and is an enjoyable place to see the mud pools etc. Our group gave the carving a go to which as a laugh!

[Aquarians]

From experience I would give the Gondola a miss. When we did a private tour (DH was driver of a mini bus full of Americans Canadians and Aussies - boy it was fun) the queues of people from the cruise ships excursions were horrendous. Some of our group basically queued, went up and queued to come back down - 1 hr!!!

 

Hell's Gate is worthwhile as it is not on the cruise excursions so is not 'full' and is an enjoyable place to see the mud pools etc. Our group gave the carving a go to which as a laugh!

Kia ora,

I think if you check you will find Hells Gate is offered as a cruise excursion

Aquarians